attorney in seattle, washington, who would prosecute violations there. regardless of the state law, growing, selling or processing any amount of marijuana remains illegal under federal law. the department's responsibility to enforce controlled substances act remains unchanged. several former doj officials that spoke to cnn said that likely won't be the end of it. former attorney general under president george w. bush alberto gonzales laid out the options facing eric holder and the justice department. option one, lock the users up. >> go into washington state, arrest and prosecute those in possession of marijuana, then wait for the defendant to say wait a minute, you know, i've got state law says it is not unlawful. at that point, they can raise preemption and say the federal government laws preempt state law in this regard. >> option two. fight it out in the courts. >> sue the state of washington and state of colorado, take them to court, and say outright that in this field the federal government has preempted and that the law has to fall. >> option thre